Last Updated: Sep 21, 2024
Savor Shimonoseki
Japanese History & Chic Port City Vibes
The city of Shimonoseki has LONG been on my bucket list, but for one reason or another, it took me forever to finally get there. As you’ll understand after reading this article, I’m quite ashamed to admit that I should have visited this amazing part of Japan much sooner than I ultimately did. Few places strike such a perfect balance between historical legacy, cool city vibes, and beautiful natural vistas. In fact, I’m confident in saying that no matter what aspect of Japan tickles your fancy, there’s something for everyone in Shimonoseki.
Historically speaking, Shimonoseki is best known as the site of the Battle of Dan-no-ura in 1185. At this climactic conflict of the Genpei War, the Minamoto clan prevailed over their rivals, the Taira, thereby establishing 700 years of samurai rule in Japan. How these two families ended up in a naval battle here would require a blog post unto itself, but the final showdown at Dan-no-ura was a fierce naval engagement in the narrow Kanmon Straits, an important passageway from the Seto Inland Sea to the Sea of Japan.
Later on, Shimonoseki would also become notorious as a flashpoint in Japan’s tumultuous interactions with Western powers. As Japan struggled to reconcile its traditional isolationist…
